Archive for the 'Reputation Management' Category

Scammers use SEO to Commit Olympic Size Fraud

Published by Tom on 5 August, 2008 in Reputation Management and SEO. 2 Comments

What happens when you take bad people with a must buy item (that they don’t actually have), Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) knowledge and a thirst for money at all costs? Well if you’re the con artists behind an olympic ticketing site you stand to make millions of dollars from unsuspecting consumers prior to being found out.

When I first became aware of the scam on August 2, I noticed the website, www.bejingticketing.com was ranked 4th for the term “olympics tickets” on Google.

After all of the free PR and the buzz created from the scam becoming public and more importantly the hundred of new links from media sites published around the world, the website jumped to the #2 spot a few days later. Thankfully the site has been taken down, but not before the damage was already done.

From the first moment I saw the website it was clear very that SEO had been utilised to gain traction in search engines such as Google. The combination of highly targeted content and a professional design was a clear giveaway why it ranked so well and milked hundreds of people around the world out of their hard earned dollars.

By using and repeating keywords focused around tickets for the various sports and Olympic ceremonies throughout the content, Meta Title and navigation, it’s easy to see that SEO formed the base of their marketing strategy from the beginning. These guys knew what they were doing and utilised SEO and links from other websites to drive traffic to their website.

So who’s to blame? The scammers, the consumers for their lack of homework, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Beijing Olympics Committee (BOC) for not policing their own brands or Google for sending their customers to the site?

Of course the real culprits are the criminals who took people’s money without providing the product. But I also believe, The IOC and BOC have to take some responsibility for not policing their own brands and trademarks. In an age where tools exist to keep track of where a brand is being used online the IOC and BOC could have identified the website sooner and dealt with it accordingly.

While it’s easy to calculate the consumer loss, the damage done to the IOC’s and BOC’s brand is another story and ultimately very difficult to determine. Of course the IOC has overcome worse situations such as drug cheats, vote buying and corrupt officials so weathering this latest fiasco should be a breeze.

However, if the same situation was applied to a well know business brand, the consequences could be devastating for the business if not dealt with appropriately. Today, tools such as Adgooroo’s Trademark Insight and services such as Online Reputation Management can be used to keep a close eye on a brand or trademark and companies can learn firsthand what consumers or scammers are saying immediately rather than waiting until it gets out of control.

Blaming the consumer for not purchasing tickets from an official ticketing source is no longer the answer.

Online Reputation Management - Know your Brand

Published by Tom on 3 February, 2008 in Reputation Management and SEO. 0 Comments

Whether you’re an ASX top 100 company, small business or an up and coming star looking to land the next big job, your reputation is critical to what others think about you.

Today, prospective job hires and businesses are going straight to Google to see what might turn up. For small businesses, especially those with little or no brand awareness, a single negative story can turn a potential buyer off and onto one of your competitors. Today, no one can afford to ignore their online profile.

For job applicants even a MySpace or Facebook entry, especially if it contains sexual references could mean the difference between getting the job or being passed by. Your online profile is a real testament to your character that a potential employer is going to consider when deciding whether you fit in with their culture. If the employer finds a reference distasteful it could mean them placing your resume to the bottom of the pile without an opportunity to explain the incident.

The recent rise to fame for Corey Delaney, a teenage from Victoria who announced a party at his parent’s place on MySpace while his parent’s were away, is an excellent case study in online reputation in the making. If he decides to pursue a career as a playboy, DJ or MC then his current online profile will fit the part. However, if he has a change of heart and decides to try his luck in a professional role, all the negative news about his teenage antics could come back to haunt him. While one would hope that his actions will later be seen as a teenage prank, the sheer amount of recent negative publicity may lead a potential employer to unfortunately judge him on what she reads.

In a corporate example, a prominent Australian marketing firm came out the on the losing end with Google after pushing the boundaries with their own reputation. After 8 months, you’ll still struggle to find the company’s website in the natural listings on Google even when you search on their company name. Instead you find, a list of articles and stories on their tumble from grace. The company has had to resort to using paid search and has even taken the extraordinary step of changing their domain name to get a fresh start.

When it comes to information online, especially negative news, it doesn’t disappear and will only get pushed down if it replaced by more current and relevant information. Businesses that ignore what their customers are saying online are at serious risk of wasting money and effort they spend to build their brands.

So what can you do to build a positive online profile or improve on a negative one?

Monitor

The first step is to know you have an issue by monitoring your brand. For budding professionals you are your brand se beware of what is said about you. Tools such Google’s or Yahoo’s Alerts will keep you on top of what others are saying about you.

Analyse

Analyse your online assets including websites, trademarks, blogs, partner sites, online forums, consumer complaint sites and social networks. Are people talking trash or just disappointed in your service?

Influence

Influence the results by participating in the conversation. Become a leader in your field of expertise or industry to influence the conversation. Your participation will help improve the perception of your brand.

By taking control of your brand you’ll be in a better position to tip the conversation in your favour and show the real you.